Internal-combustion engine



May 22, 1928.

L. S. GREENE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed 21, 1924 sSheets-Sheet k V My 7 J A INYFNTOR May 22, 1928.

1,670,305 L. s. GREENE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed n- 21,1924 3 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEY May 22, 1928. 1,670,305

L. s. GREENE INTERNAL COMBUST I ON ENGINE Original Filed 21, 1924 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR MM ATTORNEY Patented May 22, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAWRENCE BUYDAM GREENE, OF NEW CANAAN, CONNECTICUT.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed January 21 1924, Serial No. 687,530. Renewed October8, 1927.

This invention relates to certain improvements in internal combustion orgas engines, and more particularly to a certain form of rotary valve andcombustion chamber construction.

The invention has for an object, in connection with internal combustionengines, the construction of a rotary valve mechanism containing acombustion chamber with in suitable means for the complete scavengingand re-charging of the chamber.

A further object is to so construct the inlet and exhaust ports and thecorresponding or registering parts of the combustion chamher, so as toprovide even and quick cutofis of the incomin and outgoing gases.

A still further 0 ject is to provide a construction which will be quitesimple and yet strong, and eflicient in operation.

Further objects of the invention will be apparent from the naturethereof and from the following description.

The drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and insaid draw- 1ngs,--

Fig. 1 shows a side or top view of the valve and piston casings with thevalve and piston shown therein in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 shows a side view taken from the left of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the rotary valve; and

Figs. 4 to 7 show the valve casing and the inlet and exhaust ports,together with the relative positions of the rotary valve chamberlinrelation thereto during one complete 0 c e.

While it will be understood that the invention may be embodied invarious specific forms, it is desired to present hereinafter a preferredembodiment of the invention which has been found to be very advantageousand useful.

Accordingly, there is shown a piston casing 1 and a valve casing 2 atright angles thereto, the latter being provided with radiator 3 as isusual in such constructions The valve casing is provided with an inletport 4 and an exhaust )ort 5 to which are attached suitable conduits forthe gases. A spark plug 6 is inserted adjacent to the inlet port and isdesigned to explode the gases charged within a combustion chamberconstructed as will be hereinafter described.

Within the valve casing is a rotary, cylindricul valve 7 provided withmeans (not shown) for rotating it clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2, in theratio of one rotation for two revolutions of the crank shaft. Thelatter, designated 8, lits within the piston c linder in the usualmanner but its en s is shaped to have a cylindrical form, in order tocooperate with the cylindrical valve 7 and lit substantially closelythereagainst. The upper extremity of the piston 8 contains a squarecut-out 9 to avoid collision with the spark plug 6. The cylindrical wallof the piston is designed to form one side or Wall of a combustionchamber, the remaining portion of which is formed within the rotaryvalve itself and has what may be designated generally as an ellipticalor parabolic form extending to the center or axis of the valve, as mayreadily be seen in Figs. 1 and 3. This combustion chamber is designated10 and lies preferably outside of the plane of the inlet and exhaustports, i. e., it does not resgistcr with them in normal operation. Inorder, therefore, to secure a means for the inlet and exit of gases thesupplemental chamber 11 is provided which is of shallow depth andextends over from the combustion chamber into the plane of the inlet andexhaust ports so as to register with them, whereby gases entering orleaving said ports will first pass through this supplemental chamber onthe way to or from the combustion chamber.

The outlines or borders of said supplemental chamber may be clearly seenin Fig. 3 and comprise a border or line 12 parallel with the axis of thevalve 7, and a curved border or line 13, meeting the line of thecombustion chamber 10 and the bottom thereof. The said border 12 isdesigned to register with the inlet and exhaust ports and for thispurpose these ports have a corresponding parallel line at the rearthercoi indicated by 14 and 15 respectively. The ports 1- and 15 areapproximately quadrant shaped and are bounded on two sides by straightwalls arranged substantially at an angle of 45 and connected at theirouter ends by a curved wall. The inner ends of the straight sides do notdirectly connect but are joined by a short wall or edge arranged atright angles to one of the straight sides and at obtuse angle to theother straight side.

The left sides or borders 16 and 17 of the inlet and exhaust ports,respectively, are

curved to substantially parallel the curved line of the supplementalchamber as it moves across said ports. By these constructions it will beapparent that the gases are cut oil in an even and quick manner as theyenter and leave the supplemental chamber, i. e., the cut-oll' ispractically instantaneous along a straight line, forming a considerableportion ol' the periphery of the port.

In the operation of the mechanism the description will proceed on thebasis of the Otto cycle, wherein the rotary valve makes one completerevolution for every two revolutions oi the crank shaft, i. e., thepiston goes through the usual operations of compressing and scavengingthe gas in the combustion chamber within the valve during one rotationthereof. As viewed in Fig. 2 this rotation is clockwise.

Beginning with the intake of a charge, it. will be seen that as the line13 in its revolution approaches the port 1 it will momentarily coincidewith the line 10, and thereafter pass this line whereupon thesupplemental chamber 11 will be gradually opened to the intake port anda charge of gas will pass through the chamber to the combustion chamber.As the valve continues to rotate the line 12 will eventually coincidewith line l i and a quick cut-olf will be made.

The piston now compresses this charge and it is then tired to providethe explosive force for driving the piston hack and furnish the energyfor the engine, as will be readily understood. As the valve continues torotate it will eventually bring the line 13 to coincide with the line 15ot' the exhaust valve whereupon on further rotation the latter will beopened to the supplemental chamber and the gases will be exhausted fromthe combustion chamber. Further rotation of the valve bringsthe line l2opposite the line 17 whereupon the exhaust will be cut oil and the valvevery shortly thereafter be ready to renew the cycle beginning with theinlet port. Figs. 4 to 7 illustrate this movement. The intake or inletports are designated l. and the exhaust ports 5, while the combustionand supplemental chambers are shown in dotted outlines as they appearprojected upon the plane of view taken of these figures.

Correspondin; parts are identically designated as in the previousl'lfl'llltis. so that the various positions will be entirely clear.

It will be seen that in Fig. 4- the line. 12 has just past the exhaustport and is moved toward the intake port to recommence a cycle. In Fig.5 this movement has progressed through about 01it-tpl:1llt'l' of arevolution to the time when the cutoff has been made at the intake orinlet port. Fig. 6 shows the position of the valve after a considerablerotation and when the exhaust is about to he opened. Fig. 7 shows theposh tion when the exhaust is closed and is therefore just in advance ofthe position shown in Fig. 4.

it will thus be apparent that a simple and strong construction has beenprovided for a rotary valve of this type wherein the combustion chamberis cut out of the cylindrical valve.

highly advantageous feature of this construction consists in the mannerof arranging the supplemental chamber with respect to the inlet andexhaust ports and the combustion chamber, which is preferably not inline or registry with said ports. The supplemental chamber being smallhas made it possible to provide a quick and even cutoll' by forming astraight line of the chamber, parallel with the axis 01' rotation, tocoincide with the line of the ports, and thus eliminating the combustionchamber from actual registry with these ports.

Many other advantages of construction will be apparent from anexamination of the description and the actual operation of the valve.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention may bemade without departing from the spirit thereof, it is understood that Ido not intend to limit myself to the specific embodiment abovedescribed, except as indicated in the appended claims, and while I haveillustrated the adaptation of my invention to an Otto type internalcombustion engine, it is to be expressly understood that it is adaptedfor use in connection with engines and motors of other types.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine having a cylinder and a pistontherein in combination with a valve casing provided with inlet andexhaust ports and ignition means; a rotary valve containing a.combustion chamber and a supplemental chamber eomnmnicating therewithand so positioned as to register with said ports.

2. The invention in claim 1 wherein the combustion chamber is so locatedas not to register with the ports.

3. In an internal combustion engine havinga cylinder and a pistontherein in combination with a valve casing provided with inlet andexhaust ports and ignition means; a rotary valve containing a combustionchamber and a supplemental chamber positioned in the plane of the portsand communicating with the combustion chamber.

4. In an internal combustion engine having a. cylinder and a pistontherein in combination with a valve easing provided with inlet andexhaust ports and ignition means; a rotary valve containing a combustionchamber and a supplemental chamber, the combustion chamber having agenerally elliptical section extending to the axis of the valve andhaving its side walls disposed transversely of the valve and thesupplemental chamber communicating with the combustion chamber and sopositioned as to register with said ports.

The invention in claim 1 wherein the supplemental chamber is of shallowdepth.

6. The invention in ('lnim 1 wherein the inlet llIHl exhaust ports haverear sides or lines parallel with the axis of the valve, and thesupplemental chamber has a similar CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,670,305.

Granted May 22, 1928, to

- LAWRENCE SUY DAM GREENE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed above numberedpatent requiring correction as follows:

specification of the Page 1, line 61, for the word "ends" read "end";page 3, line 6, nlaim 5. for he numeral "1" read "4"; and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that thesame may conform to the record oi the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 19th day of June, A. D. 1928,

(Seal) M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

valve and having its side walls disposed transversely of the valve andthe supplemental chamber communicating with the combustion chamber andso positioned as to register with said ports.

The invention in claim 1 wherein the supplemental chamber is of shallowdepth.

6. The invention in ('lnim 1 wherein the inlet llIHl exhaust ports haverear sides or lines parallel with the axis of the valve, and thesupplemental chamber has a similar CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,670,305.

Granted May 22, 1928, to

- LAWRENCE SUY DAM GREENE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed above numberedpatent requiring correction as follows:

specification of the Page 1, line 61, for the word "ends" read "end";page 3, line 6, nlaim 5. for he numeral "1" read "4"; and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that thesame may conform to the record oi the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 19th day of June, A. D. 1928,

(Seal) M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

